Vibrating apparatus



July 3, 1956 o. ARMSTRONG VIBRATING APPARATUS Filed July 29, 1953 35 OGDEN ARMSTRONG INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent VIBRATING APPARATUS Ogden Armstrong, Los Angeles, Calif. Application July 29, 1953, Serial No. 370,918 5 Claims. (11. 310-34 This invention relates to vibrating apparatus and more particularly to a portable vibrator in combination with a knife blade for facilitating the cutting of meat and like products. 7

Various vibrating apparatuses for imparting a reciprocating motion to a cutting element are well known. The present invention is primarily concerned with a vibrating apparatus in combination with a knife blade such as is commonly used in butchering. In this particular application, the specific type of vibratory motion imparted to the knife blade can only be effective in aiding cutting of meats when caused to vibrate in a certain manner. In other Words, not only is the amplitude of the reciprocatory motion important but also the frequency of vibration. In the specific application referred to, the desired amplitude may range between one-eighth and three-eighths inches, while the frequency of vibration is in the sub-acoustical or low acoustical range. Accordingly, it has not been possible to use some of the conventional vibratory mecha nisms employed oscillating circuits and magneto-strictive devices, as the frequencies of such systems are far too high.

It is a primary object of the present invention accordingly, to provide a greatly simplified vibratory apparatus for reciprocating a knife blade, which apparatus may be easily incorporated in the handle of the knife, and in which a minimum number of moving elements are employed, whereby the apparatus may be manufactured far more economically than has been possible in the past.

Another object is to provide a novel means for adjusting both the amplitude and frequency of the reciprocatory motion of the knife blade.

These and additional objects and features of the invention are attained by providing within the handle or casing of the knife, a solenoid coil andplunger. The plunger is connected to the knife blade at one end and resiliently coupled to the base of the handle at the other end. This resilient coupling may comprise a spring biased such as to oppose motion imparted to the plunger by operation of the solenoid. Also included is an auxiliary springengaged between the plunger at one end and a platemember of magnetic material at the other.

This plate member ismaintained in a first position by the magnetic flux lines set up by the solenoid and in this position, the magnetic 'plateserves to close a pair of contacts through which electrical energy is supplied to the solenoid. Energization of the solenoid coil will tend to move the plunger in a given direction to compress the auxiliary spring connected to the magnetic plate member. After a given compression, the potential energy stored in this spring will be suflicient to overcome the magnetic attraction between the plate member and solenoid, at which point the plate member will suddenly move to a second position to open the contacts. The energization of the solenoid is terminated at this point due to opening of the contacts and the main spring returns the knife blade and in consequence thereof, the plate member, to

its original position closing the contacts to commence a new cycle.

A better understanding of the invention and its various features will be had by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a preferred form of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical circuit.

The vibrating knife of the present invention, referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, comprises a handle or casing 10 having th'readedly secured to its lower end an end cap 11 as shown. The upper end of the handle 10 is provided with a suitable slot-like opening through which a knife blade 12 passes. The base end of the knife blade includes a reduced extension 13 adapted to be mounted within a socket 14 formed in the upper end of a solenoid plunger 15. A set screw 16 may be provided for retaining the extension 13 of the knife blade 12 in the socket of the plunger 15.

At the upper end of the handle 10 there is provided a lateral opening 17 through which one end of a curved actuating strip 18 of metal or other resilient material passes. The outer end of this strip is pivotally secured to the handle as indicated at 19. As shown, this strip is adapted to engage within the handle a cantilevered arm 20 to the free end of which is insulatedly mounted a contact 21. The contact 21 is in turn adapted to engage a fixed contact 22 to close an electrical circuit through a solenoid coil 23 carried within the handle. The strip 18 is so shaped as to conform substantially to the grip portion of the handle whereby it may be easily pressed inwardly to close contacts 21 and 22 through the medium of the cantilevered arm 20.

The plunger 15 is adapted to reciprocably move within the solenoid coil 23, limited, however, by a main spring 24 having its upper end brazed or soldered directly to the plunger 15 as at 25, and its lower end similarly secured to a cylindrical plug or core member 26, as indicated at 27. This core member is fixedly mounted within the one end of the solenoid by any means desired. An auxiliary spring 28 is coupled at one end to the lower end of the plunger 15 by being nestled in a recess 29 in the plunger, the lower end of the auxiliary spring 28 similarly nestling in a small bore or recess 30 in the core member 26. The bore 30 includes an extension passage 31 of smaller diameter for slidably receiving a stem or actuating element 32. Stem 32 is formed with an enlarged head at its upper end and this head is engaged by the one end of the auxiliary spring 28. The opposite end of the stem is normally urged against a plate member 33 magnetically held in the position shown in Figure 1 in response to energization of solenoid coil 23. The plate 33 is brazed or otherwise secured to a leaf spring 34, one end of which is secured to the solenoid coil as at 35. The free end of the leaf spring carries a contact 36, which in the position of the leaf spring 34 shown in Figure l, is in engagement with a stationary contact 37.

Contact 36 is connected through the leaf spring 34 to a conductor 38, and contact 37 is directly connected to one end of the solenoid coil. The other end of the solenoid coil is electrically connected to the fixed contact 22. A conductor 39, electrically connected to the contact 21 extends longitudinally through the handle to pass through the end cap 11 with conductor 38 for connection to a suitable source of electrical energy.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the manually operated contacts 21 and 22 serve to energize the solenoid 23 by connecting a source of electrical energy, such as represented by the battery E, while opening of the contacts 36 and 37 will de-energize the solenoid coil.

In the operation of the knife vibrator, depression of the actuating strip 18 by the operators fingers will close the contacts 21 and 22 to energize the solenoid coil 23. The contacts 36 and 37 are normally closed. Energization of the solenoid coil 23 will cause the plunger element 15 to be retracted in the handle to compressmain spring 24 which is biased to oppose this direction of plunger movement. As the plunger retracts, the auxiliary spring 28 will be compressed and commence to store potential energy. This energy will build up pressure against the actuating stem 32 tending to move the magnetic plate member 33 away from the base of the solenoid. However, the flux set up by the solenoid will attract and hold the magnetic plate member in place and thus maintain contacts 36 and 37 closed. The plunger and knife blade 12 will continue to be retracted into the handle until sufiicient potential energy is built up in the auxiliary spring 28 to result in a force sufficient to over come this magnetic attraction.

At this point, the plate 33 will be suddenly pushed away from the lower end of the solenoid rapidly breaking the contacts 36 and 37. Opening of these latter conmeans urges said plunger in the direction opposite said tacts will de-energize the solenoid 23 and permit the main spring 24 to return the knife blade 12 to its former position. This movement will also be aided by the auxiliary spring 28, expansion of this spring permitting the leaf spring 34 to return the magnetic plate 33 to its former position and again close contacts 36 and 37. C10- sure of these contacts will then result in energization of the solenoid coil 23 and the previously described cycle of operation will be repeated.

It is an important feature of this invention that the magnetic plate member may be designed to be held in engagement with the solenoid coil 23 by a predetermined magnetic force. Similarly, the auxiliary spring 28 may be designed to exert a predetermined force sufgiven direction; and means, independent of said magnetic member, for actuating said switch means to the closedcircuit position thereof.

2. A vibrating apparatus, comprising: a casing; a solenoid coil disposed within said casing; a pl'ungerslidable in said coil and coupled at one end to an element to be vibrated; a main compression spring disposed between, and in coaxial alignment with, the other end of the plunger and the one end wall of said casing, whereby said spring will resiliently oppose retracting movement of said plunger; an auxiliary compression spring coaxially disposed within said main spring and having one end thereof engaged with said plunger; an actuating stem engaged by the other end of the auxiliary spring; a plate member adapted to be magnetically held in one position ficient to overcome the magnetic attraction force only when compressed to a predetermined amount. In other words, the precise moment at which the contacts 36 and 37 are separated can be extremely accurately determined by a foreknowledge of the magnetic attraction between the solenoid and plate member 33, it being impossible to separate the contacts until sufiicient energy has been built up in the auxiliary spring 28 to overcome this attraction. This spring energy, as should now be seen, is determined by the amount the spring 28 is compressed. Therefore, the amplitude of movement of the plunger 15 and thus the knife blade 12 may be accurately adjusted, while the frequency of the knife movement may be determined by simply adjusting the spring constant of the main spring 24.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a vastly improved cutting instrument which is not only reliable in view of the simplicity of the vibrating apparatus, but which may be easily adjusted as to amplitude and frequency to adapt the knife for any particular cutting operation.

Various modifications of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, while the apparatus has been described with respect to a vibrating knife blade, the principles are applicable to any vibratory instrument operating at relatively low frequencies. The apparatus is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodiment disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a vibrator including a vibrating element, a movable plunger member secured to said element, a solenoid coil surrounding a portion of the plunger and adapted, when energized, to move said plunger in a given direction; and a source of electrical energy adapted to be connected to said solenoid, the combination comprising: a first resilient means normally urging said plunger in a direction opposite to said given direction; a magnetic member adapted to be magnetically held in one position by said solenoid under a given magnetic force; means, in-

by said solenoid coil, said plate member being engaged by said stem; contacts adapted to open said solenoid circuit in response to movement of said plate member to a second position under the urging of said auxiliary spring as said plunger moves to compress the same, and resilient means holding said plate member in said one position.

3. An apparatus for reciprocating an element comprising, in combination: a casing; a solenoid mounted within said casing and including a coil and a movable plunger moved in one direction longitudinally of said casing by the magnetic force produced by current flowing through said coil; a'spring seated within said casing and engaged with said plunger for resisting movement of said plunger in said one direction; switch means for controlling flow of current through said coil; said switch means including a magnetic member held in switch-closing position by a given magnetic force produced by current flowing through said coil; an element slidably mounted within said casing and having one end thereof engaged with said magnetic member; a second spring coaxially disposed within said first named spring and engaged between said plunger and the second end of said element, whereby movement of said plunger in said one direction stores energy in said second spring by compression thereof to urge said element against said magnetic member and move the same to a switch-open position upon storage of energy in said second spring sufiicient to overcome said given magnetic force.

4. An apparatus for reciprocating an element compris ing, in combination: a casing; a solenoid mounted within said casing and including a coil and a movable plunger moved in one direction longitudinally of said casing by the magnetic force produced by current flowing through said coil; a first spring within said casing and engaged with said plunger for resisting movement of said plunger in said one direction; a movable circuit controlling device in the energizing circuit of said solenoid and including a magnetic member operable to hold said device in circuit-closing position by magnetic force produced by energization of said coil; an actuating element mounted for movement within said casing coaxially with said plunger and engaged with said magnetic member; a second spring arranged between the plunger and said actuating element; movement of said plunger in said one direction compressing said second spring to store energy therein whereby the latter, after a predetermined amount of energy has been stored therein, urges said actuating element against said magnetic member with a force sufficient to overcome said magnetic force thereby to actuate said device to its open circuit position, said first spring operable upon the resultant deenergization of said solenoid to move said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction to dissipate the energy stored within said second spring; and means independent of said magnetic member for moving said circuit-closing device to its closed-circuit position.

5. An apparatus for reciprocating an element comprising, in combination: a casing; a solenoid mounted within said casing, said solenoid including a hollow coil element and a plunger moved in one direction longitudinally of said casing by the magnetic force produced by current flowing through said coil; a first spring seated within said casing and engaged with said plunger for resisting movement of said plunger in said one direction; a circuit-controlling device in the energizing circuit of said solenoid and including a fixed contact and a resilient contact member normally biased into a position in engagement within said contact; a magnetic member carried by said resilient contact member operable to hold the same in circuit-closing position by magnetic force produced by energization by said coil; an actuating element movably mounted within said casing and engaged with said magnetic member; and a second spring arranged between the plunger and said actuating element; movement of said plunger in said one direction compressing said second spring to store energy therein whereby the latter, after a predetermined amount of energy has been stored therein, urges said actuating element against said mag netic member with a force sufiicient to overcome said magnetic force thereby to actuate said device to its open circuit position, said first spring operable upon the resultant deenergizing of said solenoid to move said plunger in a direction opposite to said first direction to dissipate the energy stored within said second spring, whereby said resilient contact member returns to its normal position in engagement with said fixed contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,564 Bonsall July 18, 1911 1,751,975 Carter Mar. 25, 1930 2,027,879 Piscionere Jan. 14, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 633,678 France Oct. 29, 1927 843,698 France Apr. 3, 1939 

